Improved reclining-chair



N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

J. M. BAIRD, OF IVHEELING, VIRGINIA, AND LEVI F. SMITH, OF NORTH STONINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVED R'ECLlNlNG-CHAIR.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 26,077, dated November 15, 1859.

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that we, J. M. BAIRD, of Wheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of Virginia, and L. F. SMITH, of North Stonington, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reclining-Chairs, the object of which is to effect a more easily adjusted, convenient, and comfortable chair of that kind than any now in use, being so constructed that by a simple and self-adjusting arrangement the occupant can or may by his own specific gravity control and operate the chair at will, placing himself or herself permanently at any angle or inclination desired, the footfboard at the same time adjusting` itself to the position of the feet and the desired length of the legs; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same as far as is practicable now to give, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents an end view of the chair with all its parts connected and arranged, the hinged back being folded down as suitable for an office or ordinary chair. Fig. 2 shows the arrangement and also the position of the oscillating pedestal A and vertical lever B when the back E and fall L are brought to a line horizontal with the top of the lseat C to form a couch. Fig. 3 represents the self-adjusting arrangement for the foot-board, and also its position when the back and fall are at an angle of forty-five degrees.

D is a stationary seat-stand, on 'the top of which rests the sliding seat-frame C, connected at the ends of which are the back E and fall L by the pivot-irons ff and e e. The sliding seat-frame C is connected with the stationary seat-stand D by means of the oscil` lating pedestal A, which is pivoted on the inside of the seat-frame C and also on the inside of the side stretchers d at the base of the stationary seat-stand D and the vertical lever B, the fulcrum of which is at the point marked q, where it is pivoted to the stand D, the lower en d being attached to the oscillating pedestal by a bolt through a slotted hole, as seen at x, the upper end of which connects with the back E and fall L by means of the arm-pieces g g and 7L h.

On the top of the stationary seat-stand D is placed an angular toothed rack 7c k, in which works the stop in the sliding seat-frame C, on the top of which is a cam-shaped handle d d, when down holding the seat-back and fall rigid and comfortable at any desired angle, but when the handle d CZ is thrown up, as seen by the dotted lines, the stop is drawn up and relieved from the rack, and the occupant may operate the chair at will back and forward, the seat-frame C easily sliding to and fro on the stationary stand D.

Il is an oscillating bar attached to the fall by a pivot corresponding to the recesses in the hook-plate n, which permits of it being raisedv or lowered to suit the size of the occupant of the chair. Between the front ends of these bars is pivoted the vibrating footboard P, which adjusts itself at any angle of the chair to the position required for the feet. The back ends of said bars are connected by a rod, on which works the pitman or piece F,

this pitman F being hinged to thc front stretcher of the scat C, as seen in Fig. 3, at the point marked a, a proper distance from thc fall L to give it the required motion.

In operating the chair if a couch or a reclining position is required the folding back is thrown up, as seen. by the dotted lines in Fig. l. The occupant then raises the handle d d, which relieves the stopt from the rack 7c.

Then by a gentle pressure of the back the desired position is obtained. The handle d CZ being relieved, the stop t drops into the rack 7c, thus securing it permanently against any further backward motion. To raise to a perpendicular position or to regain a less angle of the back and fall, the occupant has but to make the effort to rise and the chair adjusts itself at any point desired. At the same time and by the same operation the foot-board adjusts itself to the position of the feet and the required length for the ease and comfort of the occupant.

By unhooking the front arm-pieces h 7L from the vertical lever A the back E may be used at any angle desired independent of the fall L.

This chair may be caned or upholstered in the usual manner to suit either the climate or the purpose for which it may be designed.

In this invention we do not claim the folding back, for this is old, and the back may be made in any form desired; neither do We elaiin the oscillating pedestal A, nor the vertical lever B, for those We have already secured by Letters Patent granted August 17 1858, to J lVL Baird, of Vheeling, Virginia, for improvements'in oar-seats; but 1 What We do Claim as our invention is- 1. The combination and arrangement of the oscillating pedestal A, vertical lever B, the sliding seat-frame C, and stand D, substantially as and for the purpose described.

Witnesses:

MASON NAYLOR,

)HARLES D. FREEMAN.v 

